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Friday, March 2, 2012

Sleeping pills can cause cancer and death

A new study suggests that the pills are commonly prescribed for sleep can increase 5.7 times the risk of disease, making them as dangerous and lethal as smoking . Naturally, the results of this study raise the alert on the increased use of drugs to help people with insomnia. The study published in the British Medical Journal Open estimated between 320.000 and 507.000 U.S. deaths could be linked to the sleeping pills .

As indicated by the authors, these drugs can both increase the risk of death as that of developing certain types of cancer . Sleeping pills or 'hypnotic' associated with these hazards include benzodiazepines such as temazepam, non-benzodiazepines such as Ambien (zolpidem), Lunesta (eszopiclone) and Sonata (zaleplon), barbiturates, and sedative antihistamines. Those patients who consumed the highest dose of pills with these ingredients showed increased risk of developing various cancers, including esophageal, lymphoma , lung, colon and prostate . The scientists who conducted this study suggest that before taking or continue taking any medications, patients talk with their doctors about alternatives exist to achieve pharmacological sleep.

Although The investigation was unable to determine how this relationship lies between sleeping pills and the risk of death, it does serve to point to a serious problem facing the nation. And many Americans use this type of sleeping pills. In fact, during 2010, including one 20 and one in 10 adults have used these drugs in the country .